Zips Football History Thread - Players and Games

[Captain Kangaroo]

Figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to start a thread on Zips Football History. Well see how it evolves over time. 

[Captain Kangaroo]

Late 80's Zips LB Brian Hilk

 

Still known to make a showing at a Zips golf outing, or tailgate lot. 

[Buckzip]

Salt and pepper with John Clark 

[ZippyRulz]

http://www.ohio.com/lifestyle/history/local-history-acme-zip-game-kicked-off-akron-football-tradition-in-1954-1.524688

 

When "traffic jams surrounded the Rubber Bowl"

 

[Lee Adams]

1 hour ago, ZippyRulz said:

http://www.ohio.com/lifestyle/history/local-history-acme-zip-game-kicked-off-akron-football-tradition-in-1954-1.524688

 

When "traffic jams surrounded the Rubber Bowl"

 

Nice find on that article. I am old enough to have attended most if not all those games in the late '60's until I moved out of the area in the '80's.

Couple of takes from the article. Akron was even back then trying to save its football program because of lack of attendance and poor performance on the field. And,the Acme/Zip games was obviously an 'event'. It wasn't just a football game. But,the football program and University got badly needed exposure. Hard to believe the minds in the AD couldn't come up with something like this now.

[skip-zip]

20 minutes ago, Lee Adams said:

 Akron was even back then trying to save its football program because of lack of attendance

 

It's a problem that's old, but still continues to grow.  More and more resources are needed all the time to stay relevant and competitive in college athletics.  It's a shame.  College athletics should have never been allowed to evolve into what it is today. 

[K92]

5 hours ago, ZippyRulz said:

http://www.ohio.com/lifestyle/history/local-history-acme-zip-game-kicked-off-akron-football-tradition-in-1954-1.524688

 

When "traffic jams surrounded the Rubber Bowl"

 

Oh my goodness.  With all the Akron U references in that article, some of our fellow posters might need this number.

[akronzips71]

Late 1960's

Jack Beidelman and Danny Ruff.

The first bowl game Akron went to.

 

And a football player named Ron something who was killed when he tried to inflate the spare tire in his girlfriends Camaro. If I recall, he lived on my floor in the dorm when I was a freshman in 1967 - he roomed with Bob Azzariti, another Zips football player.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Chase Blackburn Gives Back

[Captain Kangaroo]

Catching up with Mike Johnson, and Mike Johnson Jr.

[Dr Z]

8 hours ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Catching up with Mike Johnson, and Mike Johnson Jr.

Great story. If he were to ever get a HC job in college, I would have a second team to root for. MJ would be on my interview list if I were looking. 

[skip-zip]

I'm pretty sure his name was mentioned at some point during the last 2 coaching searches.  I can't remember any more details as far as whether he expressed interest, or we reached out to him, or whether he was just simply mentioned as a potential candidate.  

 

It always brings back memories of the "Air Akron" moniker of the late 80s, whenever his name is mentioned.  And there was also a huge picture of him on the wall, as an NFL coach, in the old Varsity A Lounge at the Rubber Bowl.  Heck, it's probably still there !!